The department head refused to provide a legal termination of pregnancy
Caution: Machine assisted translation of “Suspenden a médico que incumplió fallo: El Galeno Se Negó a Practiar Una Interrupción Legal del Embarazo.” Correo del Sur, 21 Marzo, 2019.
The Acting Chief of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Service of the Hospital Obrero Jaime Mendoza was suspended from his duties for not attending a pregnant woman who asked to terminate a high-risk pregnancy, in accordance with a constitutional decision.
The doctor, who justified his action with conscientious objection, failed to comply with the constitutional ruling that orders the legal interruption of pregnancy when it endangers the health or life of the woman. The Ombudsman’s Office learned about and followed up on the case since the middle of last year.
In response to an Ombudsman’s resolution issued last week requesting to establish civil, criminal or administrative action against those who failed to comply with the ruling, the National Health Fund (CNS) of Sucre decided to suspend the physician and announced a similar process against the former director of the hospital.
Because of lethal congenital malformations, the pregnant woman requested the legal termination at five months of pregnancy, which was denied, so she had to go to another health center.